lest we forget

PULLEY, JAMES EDWARD

Rank / Branch:

SPECIALIST FOURTH CLASS, U.S. ARMY

Date Of Birth:

1949-02-01

Country Of Loss:

SOUTH VIETNAM

Status:

HOSTILE SMALL ARMS AND ROCKETS.

Aircraft/Vehicle/Ground:

TRUCK 2 1/2 TON

Other:

NOT MARRIED

Unit:

FIRST LOG COMMAND, USARV

Date Of Loss:

1969-06-14

Loss Coordinates:

BINH DINH

Catagory:

BODY RETURNED

Awards & Decorations:

SEE BIO

VETERAN HAGI0GRAPHY

PULLEY, JAMES EDWARD, SPECIALSITY FOURTH CLASS, U.S. ARMY, MIDLAND, TEXAS

AWARDS AND DECORATIONS

BRONZE STAR, PURPLE HEART, ARMY COMMENDATIONS MEDAL WITH V DEVICE, NATIONAL DEFENSE SERVICE MEDAL, VIETNAM SERVICE MEDAL, VIETNAM CROSS OF GALLANTRY WITH PALM, VIETNAM CAMPAIGN MEDAL

BIOGRAPHY

James went by his nickname of Chuck. He spent a number of years in Midland with his family. He was born in Tulsa, Oklahoma to the union of Mattie Irene Reynolds and Edward Franklin Pulley. His father was killed in a one car vehicle accident in downtown Midland, September 24, 1962 and is buried in Fairview Cemetery in Midland. James had just started the eighth grade at the time. His mother gathered up the family and moved to the Broken Bow, Oklahoma area.
James then attended school in Broken Bow. He enlisted in the U.S. Army in February 1968 and completed basic training at Fort Polk, Louisiana and then attended truck-driving school at Fort Eustis, Virginia.
He started his tour in Vietnam on September 14, 1968, and was assigned as a truck driver with the 523rd Transportation Company, 44th Transportation Group, 1st Log Command, Vietnam. His unit operated in convoys delivering supplies and ordinance to military outposts. These convoys were constantly being ambushed. As a means to provide additional support, the truck drivers developed a concept to where they equipped several trucks in each company with added armor and weaponry to assist in the event of an ambush. These trucks became known as “Gun Trucks”. Through the imagination and ingenuity of these soldiers, these gun trucks became formidable fighting machines, as they were equipped with miniguns, quad 50 machine guns and other heavy weapons. When a convoy would be ambushed, these trucks would move into the “kill” zone and would set up a defensive area to counter and repel any aggressors.
Those who served on gun trucks were volunteers among the drivers. Specialist Pulley became one of these personnel. He served as a gunner/driver and served on a truck with the name of “Corp’s Revenge.” During his time in Vietnam, he was involved in many ambushes and served honorably and with valor. On June 13, 1969, while driving in a convoy formation, the truck in front was hit by rocket. The truck was hauling artillery armament. The truck disintegrated. Specialist Pulley's truck was hit by rocket fire and machine gun and small arms fire when the ambush was sprung (See truck photo below). Specialist Pulley received shrapnel and small arms wounds. He was medevac'd and died from his wounds the following day. The body of the driver of the lead truck who received the direct hit was never found.
Specialist Pulley was buried with full military honors in the Dennison Cemetery near Idabel, Oklahoma. This cemetery had a section dedicated to veterans. He received a posthumous Bronze Star for Meritorious Service, the Purple Heart and the Army Commendation’s Medal with “V” device for valor in other actions in ambushes that he had acted above and beyond.
James was survived by his mother, his brothers and sisters. His mother, Mattie Irene died in 2005. His sister Linda Benight died in 1992, brother Roy Wayne in 1997, brother Raymond in 1998 and his sister Sharon in 2003. His surviving sister. Bobbie Engel lives in Tulsa, Oklahoma.